1/16 Bucyrus-Monighan Walking Dragline

[modelman]

Steve-I guess that really did take some time to get the feel. Do you find it easier to operate the hand controls when using the foot pedals. It seems like you could concentrate more on hoisting and dragging with your feet doing the swinging. Jim Brennan told me the foot pedals have really strong springs on them. I didn't see any spring in your pictures but is this true.

[9W Monighan]

Originally Posted by modelman

Steve-I guess that really did take some time to get the feel. Do you find it easier to operate the hand controls when using the foot pedals. It seems like you could concentrate more on hoisting and dragging with your feet doing the swinging. Jim Brennan told me the foot pedals have really strong springs on them. I didn't see any spring in your pictures but is this true.

Using the hand controls and your feet is sorta like jumping on one leg patting your head and rubbing your stomach then in reverse at one time Tom

The pictures don't show how the springs are. I'll have to get a picture next time I have the controls out in the open. Jim is correct, the springs are pretty strong. My feet get numb on the bottom and my knees get a good workout.
Jim called me the other day and was telling me he is starting to convert some of his 8050 Marion to radio control. He has a 6 channel transmitter but he doesn't know much about it just yet. I really need to take a day and go up to DLW with my machine and let Jim try my system out.

[modelman]

Originally Posted by 9W Monighan

Using the hand controls and your feet is sorta like jumping on one leg patting your head and rubbing your stomach then in reverse at one time Tom

That doesn't sound like much fun steve. I think I would have a problem with strong springs but I still think this is a good idea. Jim told me he got a radio but I agree, he is totally lost. I ask him if he has hooked it up on the workbench to see how it worked and he said he didn't know how. I think he is still living in the 60's and doesn't realize how everything has progressed. I like him though-he is a great guy and I wish I knew half of what he knows about electrical systems. I told him I wasn't sure the R/C was a good idea. As big as his machines are a radio glitch in mid-swing could cause serious damage to his machine. I must admit though, today's radios are much more advanced than the ones I started out with in the 70's. I hope it works out good for him.

[9W Monighan]

Got a couple picture from the Rock River show. Had a great time in the 90deg heat. Controls worked flawlessly! They got me the best dirt I have ever dug in too.







This old timer showed up and he told me that he ran a B-E 1570W for about 20yrs and he had been off one for 25yrs. I gave him a job operating and he worked the bucket perfectly. He was so pleased to be able to get back on a drag. Hope he shows up again next summer to giver it another try. I told him that this is one of the reasons for building my dragline and be able to let retired operator run it.